The Prophetess

Anne Gillin, an Ocean Beach Icon, 1952-2015

Anne Gillin, known by the locals in O.B. as Annie, “Queen Anne”, “Victoria” and “The Prophetess” was an Ocean Beach icon, a celebrity of sorts. Though few knew her intimately, she was a conspicuous presence in the wider community. Standing four feet ten inches tall, she typically dressed in black patent leather high heels, mini skirts, red lipstick and plenty of cleavage regardless of the weather. Anne could be seen strutting up and down the streets of Ocean Beach and Point Loma, stopping at her favorite cafes to preach the Gospel to anyone who would listen, or sunbathing and skinny dipping at Bermuda Beach, one of her favorite places in San Diego. When confronted with complaints of her nudity, she didn’t hesitate to offer a retort, seemingly immune to the criticism of strangers. Anne spoke fondly of her childhood, family, and her home country. Born on the Island of Malta, but raised and educated in Victoria, Australia, Anne started her career as a secretary in Queensland, AU, which is where she was given the nickname “Queen Anne”. At the age of 22, she had grown bored of her job, so she left for the States with her younger sister, hoping to make it in Hollywood. They landed in Ocean Beach, San Diego, and were so taken with the neighborhood that they decided to stay. Anne eventually married, had one son, and then divorced. She raised her son in O.B., supporting them by modeling and eventually, exotic dancing. She loved her dancing career; however, after more than 20 years in the industry, she was forced to retire. With no retirement plan or benefits, Anne struggled to make ends meet by hustling at the docks and convenient stores, in addition to relying on the community to help her out with food, shelter, and money when times got tough. Despite her situation, Anne remained optimistic. When she didn’t have access to a shower, she used those at Dog Beach. Without a permanent residence, she kept a storage locker, regularly using it to change into fresh clothing. During more prosperous times, Anne stayed at various hotels around town, including the Motel 6 on Pacific Highway and The Heritage Inn in Point Loma. She relished the comforts of hotel amenities, including hot showers, clean sheets and free coffee. Around 2005, Anne began feeling that she may have a mental illness, so she sought the assessment of a psychiatrist who diagnosed her with schizophrenia. A deeply religious woman, Anne believed that she was a Prophetess sent to earth by God to complete a mission. Given her religious beliefs, she opted to avoid medical treatment, instead relying on the power of prayer to heal her. Anne was also an Elvis fanatic, leading her to divide time between O.B. and Las Vegas, NV. She enjoyed Elvis impersonator performances and watching the trapeze artists at Circus Circus. At one point, she found herself in love with a well-known Vegas Impersonator and hoped they would eventually marry. She believed that God would restore her youth and they would have a child together. In late April, 2015, Anne’s belongings were discovered scattered all over the small wading beach at Shelter Island, and her body was found lifeless. Despite the suspicious whispers amongst the locals, the coroner's report stated that the official cause of death was accidental drowning with no foul play. She was 63 years old. A celebration of Anne’s life was held at Bermuda Beach with many in attendance.

This was the last photograph I took of Anne before she drowned. We were hanging out and talking about what I should name my baby (having just found out that I was pregnant). She loved the name Priscilla because she was a huge Elvis fanatic. Anne was also extremely religious and used to say that Jesus spoke to her in an "audible voice". It is a bit ironic that we did indeed have a daughter, that she was born on Christmas day, and her name is, in fact, Priscilla. Rest in Peace my friend...

Anne, At the Cross, 2015

Anne, Shelter Island, 2015

This was one of Anne's favorite beach and sadly was the very place she passed away.

Anne, The Usual Route, 2015

Anne, Ocean Beach, 2015

During the time I knew Anne, I lived in a 500 sq ft. apartment with my husband in the "interesting" neighborhood known as Ocean Beach in San Diego. When Anne came into hard times and couldn't afford her hotel anymore, she lived in my car for two months. There was no room in our studio so I gave her money when I could and let her use our shower. She was so petite that she had plenty of room to sleep in the back seat. By the time the neighbors started complaining she was back on her feet again.

Anne, Las Vegas, 2015

Anne and I took a trip to Las Vegas together a few months into our friendship. We went to meet her "Elvis Impersonator Fiancee" however that didn't work out. We stayed at Circus Circus but when Anne's paranoia lead to my feeling unsafe, our trip was cut short after a massive fight. We made up a couple weeks later.